Automatic music-playing attachment for pianos.



I. B. SMITH. AUTOMATIG MUSIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLIOATION FILEDAUGJQ, 1905.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses I. B. SMITH. v

AUTOMATIC MUSIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 190 5.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i. B. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC MUSIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 11116.29, 1905.

uoentoz Patented Feb. 23, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

' witness IRVIN B. SMITH, or PHIlJADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR, BY nssu'sassieunnu'rs,

"TO ELECTRELLE COMPANY,. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF "PENNSYLVANIA.

nu'romi'nc'music-rmirme n'r'racnunirrson rumos g Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

, Application filed. August 29, 1905. Serial No. 276,189.

To all whom it may concern;-

citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in tl iecounty of Philadelphia .5 am1; State of Pennsylvania, have invented and useful. Improvements in Automatic 7 vMucic-llayin Attachments for Pianos, of which the To owing-is a specification.-

'My.present\ invention relates to certain 10 new and useful improvements in self-playing attachments for p anos,-of the type wherein the actuating mechanism for the sound-producing devices is controlled by aperforated .inusic sheet orwe'b.

The lmPI'OVBIDBIItS IIOW sought to be protected relate more particularly to electrically controlled actuating instance shown is of the well known shoe and roller ty e. Heretofore and prior to my invention, it has been the practice to locatethis actuatingmechanism in thelower Q part of the lane case; or, more roperly speaking, ,be ow the key-board. hls arrangement has always given more or less trouble and is open to many serious ob ections, chief among which may be noted tlze fact that considerable cutting oi 1111B piano frame and case is necessary, and adjustment ofthe various parts is not only very diiiicult ;but, in some cases, impossible, unless the pii an'o is taken to the factory and jacked. It is one'purpose of this invention, therefore, .to overcome the above noted objections, and this is accomplished by mounting the entire actuating mechanism in the upper part of the piano case in such manner that all parts may be exposed to View and readily gotten at for purposes of adjustment and repair, acccss'being gained thereto by simply so tion resides in t l 40 rmnoving the u )per front board of the piano.

A- further 9.1M important feature of the invention relates to the manner of mounting theactuating mechanism in the upper part of the piano, provision being made for moving the said mechanism bodily into and out of operative position whereby access may be had to the string pins, fortuning purpos'e'- or for the attaclmient o f' ewstrijngs.

A further imp Irt' a tnr'e of the inyeie straps or cords fo p I Y due-mg devices (lflfl Le -present instance the piano hammers),,eachftape, strap o'r cord ,Be it known that I, Iavnve B. SMlTH, a:

mechanism which in the f P ll p s: crat ng the sound-prmv having a connection at one end with a part of the hammer action and connected at its other end to a member of the actuating mechanism, the construction and arrange ment of the parts being such that the hamymersmay be actuated directly from the manual keys without afiecting or operating the pull cords or tapes; or said hammers ma be operated through the medium of the pu l cords or tapes an -ual ke s. I

sides in the means cord or tape to its actuating element and to a art of the hammer action, said'means emodying in part, a novel and simple form of clip adapted to be readily attached to an element common in most-.forms of piano actions, thus enabling the attachment to be easily and quickly a lied to a piano without 1n any mannerc 'itting or changing the construction of its regular operating parts. The invention has in" view other more or less im ortant objects, all of which will be more 0 early brought out in the detailed description to follow this statement of objects.

l to clearly understand, make and ap ly my said improvements, 1 will now procee .to describe the same in detail, reference being had for this ur ose to the accompanying drawin s in w ich I igure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the upper part of a iano, showing my improved 2 is a detail view of the'attachment, the parts .being shown .in the position they assume Fig. 4 is a view showing the attachment views iofifljthe plates by which the flexible tapes-are connected to the shoe and wipp'en'j the. wippen attaching clip; Figs. 8- and 9 are, respectively, a side and a front elevation of one form of attaching hinge or bracket for r the attachment; Fig. 10 is an assembledview in perspective of the various supporting eletheir actuating mechan ism without afiecting or operating the man:

A still further feature of theinvention reof attaching each pull.

\ swung out of operative position to gain access to the tuning pins; Figs: 5 and 6 are detail.

In order to enable others skilled in the art attachment app ied in position for use; Fig.

when in the act of operating the hammer m I respectively; Fig. 7 is a perspective viewof shank; ethe rest rail ments for the attacl'lment; Fig. 11 is a side elevation-of a slightly modified form ofhinged attaching bracket; Fig. 12 is a top plan view of one of the hinge members shown in Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a further modified form of supporting and attaching means for the attachment; and Fig. 14 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the form of device shown in Fig. 13.

Before proceeding with the detailed description of the improvements sought to be covered herein, 1 will recite in a brief manner. the general operation of a self-playing attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention.

A rotary drum or shaft is provided and a suitable'motor employed to drive the sameat a constant and rapid speed. A plurality-of friction shoes (one for each key of the piano) are arranged adjacent to, but normally held outof contact with the drum or shaft, the shoes being suitably connected to the arms tures of electro-magnets. A flexible ull-device is attached at one end to each s cc and at its other end said device has a detachable connection with a part of the hammer action of the piano. A note-selecting device or reader is employed to control the operation of the playing mechanism, said note-selecting device usually consisting of a contact-bar or roll and a plurality of selector-fingers, one for each of the before-mentioned electromagnets. A perforated sheet or web is caused to travel between the contact roll and selector fingers, and whenever one or more of the latter enter the perforations in the sheet or web and make contact with the said roll, the corresponding electro-magnets with which the selector fingers are in circuit areenergized, thus attracting thelr armatures' and moving the shoes into frictional contact with the continuously rotating shaft or roll.

These contactin shoes are thus thrust forward imparting a quick or sudden upward pull upon the pull-devices which, owing to their connections with the several hammer actions, cause the hammers to strike the strings of the piano in the same manner as when the piano is bein manually.

As the nctc'sele. n arms no part of the present inve s such devices are common and. not deem it nee J l specifically de ibc the so Referring f. to designates the to of the c B the removable front board l the key-base E a manual key pi voted at F, and pro vidcd at its rear end with a capstan screw (1. (IL designates one of the piano strings; i) its tuning pin; 3/ the pinplate; 0 the hammer-head; (t the hammer ,'f the butt pivoted at g;

me herein.

h the counter check; t the be'ckcheck; the

ack, pivoted at it; Z the jacl-z portion that cngages'the knock-out stop to release thew t1. T a toe art, 1. oo

ano proper,

jack from the butt; and m the railfor su porting thestop. n is the wippenpart of the action pivoted at o; p the extension pivoted to the wippen; q the extension guide pivoted at r, and s the felted end of the extension which rests upon the capstan screw G,.carricd by the rear end of the manual kcyE.

The reference numeral 1 designates a mag net rail which supports the entire attachment. This rail is preferably of angle form, as shown and is supported in a novel mauner, so that the entire attachment may be easily and quickly applied in position for use, and may also be either bodily removed, or bodily swung out of operative position, in order to gain unobstructed access to the tuning pins.

One means for supporting the attachment is shown in Figs. 1 and and consists of a hinged plate 2,- secured to the magnet rail by screws 3, said plate having a pair of upwardly extending ears .4, and a rearwardly extending portion 5, for a purpose to presently appear. The said hinge nlate 2 is hinged by means of a pintle 6 to t e forward extension 7, of a hinged block 8, the latter being )rovidcd with attaching lugs 9, through ing screws 10 pass, and by which the said block may be attached to any suitable part of the piano. In Fig.1. the said block is shown attached to the pin plate directly above the tuning pins 7); but obviously, the said block or its equivalent may be otherwise attached, as will hereinafter appear. Er:-

tcnding vertically through an opening in the hinged block and a threadedopening in the rearwardly extending portion 5 of the hinge plate, is a threaded screw 12, which serves to firmly connect the hinge members against movement, but at the same time permits the parts to be adjusted relatively to each other Whic fastenin the arc of a circleiito shift the position 01" the entire attachment. Spacing washers or plates 13, of varying thickness, may, if dcsired, be located between the under face of the hinge block and the upper face of the rearward extension7, of the hinge plate, in order to maintain the attachment in,the exact position desired when once adjusted, These spacing washers are necessary hnly when the attachment is required to li'c a trifle out of vertical pdsition, which is sometim the case. By this mani'ier of incunti 1': the tacl'unent it will be apparent that t .-e same may be swung bodily upward in the arc of acircle in order to permit free access to the tuning pins when desired.

Instead of the form of hinge block just described, I may employ the form shown in Fig. 11, which is adapted to be attached directly to the top of the wooden bolster 14, forming part of the piano frame. In this case the hinge block consists of a flat plate 1.5,having at its forward end downwardly extending ears 1,6, provided with .-opcnings I so " oaaaaa 1 7' thi'ough which, the hinge pintle asses,- v and also provided with an opening t rough whichabcr'ew corresponding to the screw 12,

' mavens. The rear end otfithe plate 15', is

.prbvided:fwith a air of elongated slots l8, through which attaching screws 19 may pass int'c 'the "bolster 14, as shown,

ermit. the plate fto be adjusted back and ibrthfa's fiiesircd to properly position the lo 'atta 'eh'mcnt, which-latter is attached to the othe'ri iif'emberiof the hinge consisting of the hingegplate-gil, ingall substantial res ects like thj'hii ge' plate 2,,except that it as a single .-i1 pivardly extending ear 2 1, which fite ibetweeathe earsaljfl and connects with i v the) intle, insteadgof having two *e'a'rsyas mjt lzpoiistrmltif first described.

" tteiflldescijibed =fdrm pfsljinge is espeadaptedgto.'-;'sonie"makes of pianos, "bile hfltiMMIibQd-iidfipted to other arrangements dey avablex' construction, such as u'st :fign; 13; In this'figure .the reference Iiinfiera .22 designates a supportngbracket havin screw holes 23, by which it iiiaybeiattache to the pin plate or other part of the piano. This bracket has a'i'orwardlyg eirtendinglfig -24,'provided with a downwardlyf extending boss 25, having a "'veitical ifimeningf 2,6, therethrough whose loweren -is'i-threaded'and in which threaded end ew'27lfo a purpose presently With tlbf form oi bracket h mp l oyed anot'ie'r bracket attached 'et' rai l' 1, and consisting of a H carrylnga downwardly extending adapted to fit in the vertical opening afl formed in the boss 25. The screw 27 e'termines to what depth the pin 29,1nay o, and therefore serves as a vertical-adjustmentg 'lhis screw is set once for all and insnres'ithe action returning to its proper plalcelwhen temporarily removed. In order to, connect the bracket members hfl position; .I provide a screw 30, 'whichistap' edin a threaded opening in the 1 I side of ,thefl oss 25,said screw serving ,to p n th P n29- I -In'the'. foregoing description of-tlj" supporting members fortlie attachment, 1 have ingeach case descr bed only a single pair oi" such members, but fit willbe apparent that in. practice I will employ at least two pairs "Having described the supporting means i fdr fthefattachment, I will now proceed to describe the, attachment itself and the novel manner oficonnectifng each actuating ele- Til1BI1i3 ,with its associated hammer action. Securedito. thcunderside of the magnet grailpl" at opposite ends thereof, are two ,brackets31, each bracket having an integral fiblouts'taiiding split sleeve 32, whose opening The slots ill- H6 thereof, employ a.

'When the magnets are energized.

33 is adapted to receive a ball-cup 34. The

said ball-cup34, is held clamped in the split sleeve 32 by means of a screw (not shown) passing through an aperture 35, in the lug 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 10. By this.70 construction it will be aiparent thatthe ball cup may be remove and replaced at will without removing any of the partsof theattachment. A rotary shaft or drum 36 is 'journaled atv its opposite ends in the said ball cups, said shalt being driven at a rapid and constant speed by any suitable motor, (not shown).' Each bracket 31 is further provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending arm 37, to the outer end I of which is extensibly connected a plate 38, having an apertured car 39, for a purpose presently to appear. The late 38 is provided with an elongated sot 40, through .which attaching screws 41 extendinto the bracket arm 37. p

'Su ported on the substantiallyhorizontal '1 inem er of the magnetrail 1, is'a plurality of 4 electro-magnets- 42, one for each of the keys of the piano, said electno-magnets being in circuit with a suitable source of E. M. F. and with the members of the scale readers or'contact fingers (not shown), between-which the perforated music sheet passes. The armature 43 of each electro-magnet is carried bya bladespring 44, the rear end of which spring is connected by means of" a plate'45- and screws 46 to the upper edge of the vertical member of the magnet rail 1. Attached at one end to each. armature 43, is a metal strip 47 having its forward end raised above the face of the armature and provided'witlr two downwardly extending cars 48, which I may, for convenience, term a saddle; and pivotally connected between said ears bymeans of a pivot pin 49, is an actuating element, shown in the present instance as con sisting'of a friction shoe 50, whose curved face 51 is normally located above and out of contact with the shaft or roll36k. Arranged 11" above'tlie magnet rail 1, an angle bar 52 attached by means of brackets 53 to thenairl magnet rail 1. Tie angle bar 52 carries a plurality of yieldable supports and| adjust-, i1 able stops lor the tr-matures, one of each. i'or each armature, the former of these elements in the present instance, consisting of a -c1 'ew 54 having a spring connection 55, with the outer end of the armature and the adjustable element consisting of a screw 56 having a felt covered head 57 at its lower end. The screws 54 and. 56 are each lreld in locked. position by means of lock nuts, as shown.

The spring 55 normally supports the arma ture and the shoe in elevated position, but permitsthese elements to be lowered slig l-itl'y The felt covered head 57 limits the upward move" ment. of the armature. It will 'be noted from the drawing that the elements above I referred to are made adjustable, so that all parts may be delicately and accurately adjusted.

An adjustable stop rail is provided for the friction shoes, said rail consisting of an angle bar 58 located below the magnet rail, said stop rail being attached at its opposite ends to blocks 59, that are suitably connected to the brackets :33 The angle bar 58 supports a felt strip 60 against which the shoes normally rest, this construction being provided to prevent noise.

It will be noted that the entire actuating mechanism or attachment is located in the upper part of the pianocase, above the piano hannners, where such parts as need adjustment from time to tiine may be gotten at readily by-sim ply removing the front board of ill? piano case. Th is I consider one of the important features of'tbe present iny ention, since the construction and arrangement overcomes one of the serious dillieulties present in those attachments that are located below the keyboard.

The connecting means between the actuating mechanism (in the present instance, the friction shoes), and the piano hammers, consists of a flexible pull tape or cord 61, which is cormccted'at-its opposite ends respectively, f to the shoe and to a part 01' the hammer aetron. One manner of connecting the tape to the shoes consists of a plate 62 held I ey means of a screw (53 to the upper-inclined. face I 64 of the shoe 50, said. plate 52 being pro-- vided with an elongated slot 65, through wluch the tape or cord 61' iseaused to pass, the tape being threaded through the plate so that when the screw'63 screwed lirinlv home a bitn'n action on thecord or ta'ie a ainst the inclined face of the shoe Q will take place, thus firmly securing the said cord or tape in position and against slipping.

As this entire apparatus is essentially an at taclnnent to a piano, and as the prime purpose of the'in'vention is to provide the sev eral parts so that tached'and detached without in any manner altering the construction of the piano, 1 have carried this idea attaching the pull of the hammer action.

caching the same eonsis the nippcrvpart n, of th one arm of said clip being provided with a spur 67 adapted to take into the under face of the wippen and the other arm being" provided with a serew'ofl to take into the upper laee ol the wippen thereby to liriuly attach the clip in position.

aetious lmwi in their rru'istruetion a wippen, it will b: apparent that a clip of the type re- 'ffcrred to will enable the attachment to be applied to instruments 1199' on the market sitter) and the free end being brought under the 1 My may be easily at aid in the manner of j or cords 61 to a part- One mazuier of at- 2 is of a substantially ed to be attached to i As all standard piano Q [without altering their construction. Each- 1 clip is further provided with a headed element consisting in the resent instance'of a screw 69, and each pul tape or cord 61 is i preferably provided at its lower end with a fwith the hin ed supporting brackets first i above'referred to, for when it is desired to swing the entire attachment out of operative ppsition as for instance when tuning the. prano, it is only necessary to detac the iplatcs 70 from their connection with the 1 clips, which is a simple operation. In order to prevent the pull tapes or cords 61 from in any manner interfering with the hammer action, I have provided a bar'73, said bar being attached to the ears 39 carj ried by the extensible lates 38, heretofore i reierred'to. in view of the fact that these plates are extensibl connected, it Wi be I apparent that the ar 73 may beueadily I moved inward or outward as occasion may require, in order to prevent the tapes or cords from in any manner interfering with any part of the hammer action. I: v i do not wish to be'undemt'ooda's myself to the precise manner herein shown and described of'attaching the flexible tap'es or 'cords to the hammer action except as I may be limited by the appended willbe obvious that they me be otherwise attarhed without departing om the spirit of the present invention, which resides l broadly in a llexible connection between an I actuating element and a part of the hammer l action. l Having thus described my invention, whet I claim as new and desire to secure by Leti ters Patent is comprising (:l((itl'l(HtllY-COIltIOllGd actuating means located in tlur upperpert of the pianm for actuating the hammer action, a clipl ably connected to apart of the action, a flexible connection eetween said clip actuating means. v piano having a playing attachment, ng eleetro mechanical actuation s located in the upper part of the piano l case i or actuating the hammer-action, a'clip attached to a part of the action, and a llexible tape or cord connection between said 5 clip and said aetuating means. 3-. in a piano, the, combination of the 5 hammer'actionhavinga headed element at- E taelied to a part thereof, an actuating element l ('ate d in the upper part of the piano. case above the hammeiglieads, and a flexible as c 4 This construction 18 of especial advantage when used in connection claims for it 1. A piano having a playingattachment roller actuating mechanism located in the) comprislng 'electrica lly contro above the action, a fiexl e connection beconnection font ofcont'act with the hammer above the/action, a pull tape connected atits 0 j eiemenj/ and tofa part .01 the hammer action,v

and means for holding the intermediate part 7 co pr sing an actuating element locate above the piano action, a flexible, tape or ----c o rdconnected at itsfiopposite ends respec- 40" ff'o't the action, and an adjustable rail for flxingthe ta e or cord. intermediate its ends to malntain t' e same out of contact with the action.

'able connection between the pull tape or i for use within the piano-case above t e ham- .mer heads, and a exibleconnection between upper partgof'the piano case pro or above the hammer heads, and a fiexib .e cord or having a detachable connection-at its oppoporti porting mfember therefor attachable brac tape or cord connected at its upper end to said actuatin element and provided at its lower end wit a plate having'a keyhole slot ada ted to be detachably connected to said hea ed-element. V

4. A piano havin a playin attachment, l comprising electrica ly control ed shoe-andupper part of the iano case above the ham-v said shoe and a part of the hammer action for actuating the latter.

5. A piaho hav1n a playingattachment,

roller actuating mechanism located 1n the tape attached at-oneend to said shoe and site and t apart ot'thehammer'action.

6; A plane ha ving a playing attachment, comprising an actuating element located tween the actuating element and apart of the hammer action; and means for main taimng the-intermediatepart of said flexible action. Hr

7 piano'h'avirig a playing attachment, compris ng; an actuating element located posite ends respectively to said actuating of sa'il pull ta e free of the action. 8 piano aving a playing attachment 1y to said actuating element and a part e combination with the hammer action inc uding a wippen, of an ac-' tuator Qtherefor,comprisi in part a pull tape or cord a U-shaped c 'p having a detachable connection with the wippen and: provided with a headed stud, and a detach- 9. In a, piano t hordand the 'said stud.

104A pianohaving a playing attachment comprising 'a plurality of electrically eontrolled-hammer-actuating elements, a supmembef therefor, andmeans for movab y' attaching said member in osition mertheads, 11, A piano'having' a playing attachment comprising a plurality of electrically controlledhammer actuating elements, asu

within the piano case above thehammersLi and means. for movably connecting sai member to said brackets.

, 12; A piano having a playing attachment comprising a plurality of hammer-aotuating elements located whollywithin the piano-- case above the hammer heads, a supporting member therefor, bracketscarried by said member, attachable brackets having means for attachment to a piano, and a'pivetal' connection between the sairLbrackets on the supporting members an d the attachable brackets.

13. A piano having a playing attachment 'loeated wholly within the upper part of the free' end for attachment to a part of the piano case opposite the string-plate and above the hammer heads and comprising a plurality'of electrically controlled hammer actuating elements, a supportin member therefor, brackets carried by sai member,

attachable. brackets having means for at tachment to a piano, and a bin e oonncctioh between 'the sald brackets on t e supporting member, and the attachable brackets.

14. A piano having a playing attachment located within the piano caseabove the hammers and comprising a supporting member,

's'hoe-and-roller actuatin mechanism carried bysaid memher, a fiexi le.pull-device carried by achshoe and having'means at its hammer action, and means for attaching said ate for" supporting said member wholly '16. In a piano playing attachment, a plurality of actuating elements, a supporting member therefor, hinge elements for attaching the ,supportin member in position foruse, and means or ad'usting said hinge members relatively to each other tovary position'of the attac ent.

17 ."Apiano having a laying attachment comprisin a plurality o ,actuating elements located wholly within the piano case above the hammers, a supporting member there-" for, bracket elements'for attaching the supporting member in osition for use, and means for ad ust1n said bracketelements relatively to 'each ot (it to vary the osition' of the attachment relative to'the ammeraction a l P I H 18. A piano having playing attachment comprising a plurahtyr ofelectrically-Jean;

trolled hammer-actuating elements located in the" upper part of no ianoecs opposite theus tnng-plate /and a ove-{fthe-fhammigr com risin a oluralit of electricall conmechanism located in heads, a common support for said elements, and a flexible connection between each individual element and hammer action.

19. A piano having a playing attachment trolled hammer actuating elements located in the upper part of the piano case OPPO? sito'the string-plate and above the hammer heads, a supporting rail common to all said elements, a flexibleaconnection between each individual element and hammer action, and means for movably attaching the support to the interior of the piano whereby the whole attachment may be moved outward away from the tuning pins to permit access thereto.

20. A piano having a playing attachment comprising a plurality of electrically controlled hammer-actuating elements located in the upper part of the iano case opposite the string-plate and a ove the hammer heads, a flexible connecting member between each individual element and hammer action, and means whereby each flexible member may be adjusted at one end and maintained in adjusted position.

21."'-A piano having attachable playing the upper part of the piano case above the hammer heads,,said mechanism comprising arotary shaft and a plurality of electromagnetically controlled shat t journaled therein,

friction shoes, and a flexible connection between each shoe and piano hammer action.

22. A piano having a playing attachment located in the upner part oi thepiano above the harem heads, comprising a supporting member, a rotary plurality of electromagnetically controlled friction shoes, a flexible connection between each shoe and piano hammer action, and means connecting 4 the supporting 'memb er to the piano whereby the attachment may be moved outward away from the tuning pins to permit access thereto. I v

23. A piano having a playing attachment located in the upper part of the piano case above the hammer heads, said attachment comprising a rotary shaft, a plurality of friction shoes cooperating therewith, a pluraiity of eleetro-magnets each having its armature 5 connected to. one of the friction shoes, and a flexible. connection between each shoe and individual hammer action.

In testimony whereoi I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 5 nesses.

EWING B. SMlTH'. Witnesses:

F. W. Eonnmrnrn e, HARRY R. Cnoenronn said ttachmont 

